>>LeBron, Giannis To Be NBA All-Star Captains
(New York, NY) — The Lakers’ LeBron James and Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo will be captains for next moth’s NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte. They led their respective conferences in voting and will choose up sides in the captains draft February 7th. Reserves will be picked by the coaches and revealed next Thursday.
>>Pacers’ Oladipo Out For Season
(Indianapolis, IN) — The Pacers’ worst fears are realized. They will play the rest of the way without All-Star guard Victor Oladipo. He ruptured the quad tendon in his right knee Wednesday against Houston and will need surgery. An MRI confirmed he extent of the injury. Oladipo was averaging 19.2 points for Indiana, which is third in the East.
>>Ravens Give Harbaugh New Four-Year Deal
(Owings Mills, MD) — The Ravens are locking up head coach John Harbaugh with a new four-year contract. The deal keeps him in Baltimore through 2022. Harbaugh led the Ravens to a 10-and-6 record this season and their third AFC North title during his tenure. He’s the winningest coach in team history with 104 and guided the Ravens to a win in Super Bowl 47.
>>Illinois In New York Tomorrow To Face Maryland
(New York, NY) — Illinois is in New York tomorrow to play number-16 Maryland at Madison Square Garden. The Illini fell to Wisconsin72-60 on Wednesday. Illinois enters tomorrow’s matchup 5-and-14 overall and 1-and-7 in the Big Ten. The Terrapins come in at 16-and-4 and 7-and-2 in the conference.
>>Bulls Host LA Clippers Tonight
(Chicago, IL) — The Bulls host the LA Clippers tonight. Chicago has dropped 11 of its last 12 games, including a 121-101 loss to the Hawks on Wednesday. The Bulls are 13th in the Eastern Conference with an 11-and-37 record. The Clippers are eighth in the West at 26-and-22.
>>Bears DC Chuck Pagano Has High Expectations For Defense
(Lake Forest, IL) — The Bears’ new defensive coordinator has high expectations for the defense. During his introductory news conference, Chuck Pagano said the pieces are there to possibly be the best defense in history. Pagano was hired to replace Vic Fangio, who left the Bears after four seasons as DC to become head coach of the Broncos. The former head coach of the Colts served as DC of the Ravens in 2011.
>>Blackhawks Acquire Dominik Kubalík
(Chicago, IL) — The Blackhawks are bringing in Dominik Kubalík. Chicago acquired the forward from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a fifth-round draft 2019 draft pick previously acquired from the Arizona Coyotes. Kubalík will finish the season with HC Ambrì Piotta of the National League in Switzerland. He currently leads the National League in points and is second in assists.
>>SoxFest Convention Kicks Off Today
(Chicago, IL) — SoxFest kicks off today. The 27th annual fan convention is being held at the Hilton Chicago. The event gives fans the opportunity to connect with former Sox stars and the current team. Former players scheduled to appear include Carlton Fisk, Ozzie Guillén, Bo Jackson and 2019 Hall of Fame class member Harold Baines.
>>Dodgers Agree To Deal With OF Pollock
(Los Angeles, CA) — The Dodgers are bolstering their outfield with a familiar face. LA has agreed to a four-year, 55-million-dollar contract with former Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock. The deal includes a 10-million-dollar option for 2023 with a five-million-dollar buyout. Pollock hit .257 with 21 home runs and 65 RBI in 113 games last season for the Snakes.
>>NHL All-Star Weekend Begins
(San Jose, CA) — NHL All-Star Weekend begins tonight in San Jose with the Skills Competition. There are six events, featuring the fastest skater, premier passer, save streak, puck control, hardest shot and accuracy shooting. The winner of each event gets 25-thousand-dollars. The All-Star Game itself is tomorrow with divisions playing each other in a 3-on-3 format.
